Safety device for well tubing



2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1959 Inventor Oct. 24, 1939.

D. s. BRADLEY 2,177,203

SAFETY DEVICE FOR WELL TUBING Filed Feb. 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Jelfierf 55704142 A iiomeys Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety device for a well tubing and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will automaticallyprevent falling of well tubing in a well during the time of handlng of said tubing or should the. tubing become accidentally detached by any cause and also will act to guide the tubing in the casing of the well while said tubing is being raisedor lowered to prevent the tubing from cocki' g in the well. v 4 -With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to, be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. 1 For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a well having. therein the usual casing and tubing to which the present invention is adapted.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the safety device in the act of supporting the tubing.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. t

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the complete safety device detached from the tubing. Figure 6 is a perspective view. illustrating an expansible member, 1 1

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a modification oi the present invention. g p Referring in detail to thevdrawings, the numeral 5' indicates a well in which islocated. the usual casing 6 that extendsto. the bottom of the well. Also shown in the well is tubing 1 and to which the present invention is adapted for the purpose of-guiding the movement of the tubing in the casing to prevent cooking of the tubing during either the time of raising or lowering of said tubing and also to automatically stop the fall of the tubing should the latter become free or detached during the handling thereof.

A tube 8 of the same diameter as the tubing 1 0 has its upper and lower ends externally screw threaded, as shown at 9. The upper end of the tube 8 is adapted to be coupled either onto the tubing 1 or a pump barrel carried by the tubing The tube 8 has its upper end closed by a disc 55 I0 welded therein and said tube 8 below the disc is provided with a series of slots l l to permit the flow of liquid of the well to pass up through the tube and escape therefrom by way of the slots l l.

A valve cage I2 is threaded on the lower end of the tube 8 and has therein a valve seat l3 and 5.

coacting with said seat is a valve' element l4 connected to a stem l5 slid'ably supported in a spider l6 located above the valve seat while the valve element I4 is located below the seat. The valve element 14 becomes unseated by gravity and is preferably of conical shape having its apex disposed uppermost and the seat I3 is shaped to match the contour of the valve element.

A sleeve I1 is shrunk or otherwise secured on the tube 8 below the slots II and above the valve cage 12 and has its upper end externally screw threaded on which is threaded an annular member l8 carrying a plurality of tie bolts H! which support at the lower end thereof an annular member 20 slidable on'the sleeve 11.

An expansible member 2| of cylindrical shape is mounted on the tie bolts between the annular members l8 and 20 and is preferably constructed from rubber. The sleeve l1 and the tube 8 are provided with aligned openings. 22 located slightly above the annular member 20 when the latter is in its lowermost position so that the openings 22 will be covered by the expansible member 2|.

Under normal operation the flow of liquid of the well may be through the tube 8 due to the fact that the valve I4 is opened by gravity and escapes from the tube by way of the slots ll. Thus-it will be seen that the tubenormally will not interfere with the flowof fluid in the well. However, should the well tubing become free and a start to fall the valve I4 is immediately closed bythe movement of the valve cage through the fluid of the well and as the external diameter of the expansible member 2|. is only slightly. less than the internal diameter of the well casing the 40 pressure of the'fluid on the lower annular member l2 due to the falling of the tube 8 with the well tubing causes the annular member to slide upwardly compressing the expansible member 2| against the annular member l8, bringing about a bulging of the member 2| so that it tightly fits the well casing and becomes wedged therewith, consequently preventing the falling of the well tubing and the present invention to the bottom of the well with any great force that would cause damageeither to the well or well tubing. As the annular member 2!! slides upwardly under the pressure of the fluid in the well during the falling of the well tubing the ports or openings 22 become uncovered, allowing a small amount of fluid to pass into the tube 8 and escape therefrom by way of the slots, the purpose of which is to allow the device in entirety to slowly descend in the well. I

Should the well be of the'type furnishing oil and gas, it will be preferable to provide hollow tie bolts 24 in lieu of the solid'tie bolts l9 and connected to the upper ends of the hollow tie bolts 24 are pop-01f valves 25of conventional art to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

What is claimed is:..-

1. Ina device of the character set forth, tube adapted for connection with a well tubing,

a valve in said tube and normally open during the non-movement of the tube in relation to the liquid of the well to permit flow of the liquid through said tube, and means carried by said tube to act as a guide for the well tubing during its movement relative to a well casing prior to entering the liquid of the well and adapted to expand against the well casing by a movement of the tube" through the liquid of the well for checking the descent of the tubing should it become free in the well.

2. In a device of the character set forth, a

' tube adapted for connection with a well tubing,

a valve in said tube and normally open during the non-movement of the tube in relation to the liquid of the well to permit flow of the liquid through said tube, and an expansible member on said tube and having one end anchored on the tube and its other end free to slide relative to the tube by pressure of the liquid of "the well thereagainst for wedging with the well casing to check the downward movement of the tubing should the latter become freed.

3. In a device of the character set forth, a tube having one end closed and provided with slots adjacentto said end and having the latternamed end coupled to a well tubing, a gravity actuated valve carried by the other end of the tube and normally open and adapted to close by the movement of the tube rapidly through liquid of the well, a sleeve mounted on the tube below the slots and above said valve, and an expansible member carried by said sleeve.

4. In a device of the character set forth, a tube having one end closed and provided with slots adjacent to said end and having the latternamed end coupled to a well tubing, a gravity actuated valve carried by the other end of the tube and normally open and adapted to close by the movement of the tube rapidly, through liquid of the well, a sleeve mounted on the tube below" the slots and above said valve, an annular member secured on one end of the sleeve, a second annular member slidable on said sleeve, and an expansible member supported by said annular members on the sleeve.

5. In a device of the character set forth, a tube having one end closed and provided with slots adjacent to said end and having the latter-named end coupled to, a well tubing, a gravity actuated valve carried by the other end of the tube and normally open and adapted to close by the movement of the tube rapidly through liquid of the well, a sleeve mounted on the tube below the slots and above said valve, an annular member secured on one end of the sleeve, a second annular member slidable on said sleeve, an expansible member supported by said annular members on the sleeve, tie bolts extending through the annular members and the expansible member.

6. In a device of the character set forth, a

tube having one end closed and provided with slots adjacent to saidend and having the latter-named end coupled to a well tubing, a gravity actuated valve-carried by the other end of the tube and normally open and adapted to close by the movement of the tube rapidly through liquid of the well, a sleeve mounted on the tube below the slots and above said valve, an annular member secured on one end of the sleeve, a second annular member slidable on said sleeve,

' an expansible member supported by said annular members on the sleeve, tie bolts extending through the annular members and the expansible member, said sleeve and tube having align ing openings normally covered by the expansible member. I

7. In a device of the character set forth, a tube having one end closed and provided with slots adjacent to said end and having the latternamed end coupled to a well tubing, a gravity actuated valve carried by the other end of the tube and normally open and adapted to close by the movement of the tube rapidly through liquid of the well, a sleeve mounted on the tube below the slots and above said valve, an annular member secured on one end of the sleeve, a second annular member slidable on said sleeve, an expansible member supported by said annular members on the sleeve, tie bolts extending through the annular members and the expansible member, said sleeve and tube having aligned openings normally covered by the expansible member, said tie bolts being of hollow formation, and pop-ofi valves connected to the upper ends of said tiebolts.

DELBERT S. BRADLEY. 

